Christopher Timmins
Alumni
BA Sports, Physical Education and Coaching Science
Please tell us about your current role and employer
Sport Birmingham is one of 43 active partnerships across the country who uses sport and physical activity as a tool to develop communities in various ways based on the needs of the communities.
My role specifically, Sport Welfare Officer primarily supports club welfare officers or safeguarding of local sport clubs or local organisation to support a host of potential challenges. Our Aims:
- Create a safer and more welcoming culture as sport clubs for all members.
- Raise awareness and adjust people's perceptions around safeguarding and welfare.
- Signpost club and Club welfare officer to most suitable resources
- Developing networks across the city to reduce isolation.
What does a typical day in your current role look like?
- Days can vary from attending national or regional sporting events to promote our role and connect with club welfare officers.
- Working with NGB and their safeguarding teams to understand minimum operating standards.
- Co-working with local sport club sessions and committee meetings to develop safeguarding and welfare practices.
- Collaborating with colleagues to achieve aims through network or supporting each other projects.
- Interacting with coaches, children and parents to promote safer sessions and understand their rights.
- Attend National conferences with Ann Craft trust, CPSU and other partners.
What was your journey to getting a job after graduating from Birmingham? (e.g. application process, visa considerations)
My first role landed quite fortunately with a teammate from the football team I played for offered me a part time trial in finance leading to a full-time position. Although, this isn't the usual path to land a job, sport played a role in bringing us together and my attitude and positive behaviour led to being trusted with a position at the national charity. Whilst I was doing this, I was still coaching in my spare time, earning and creating my reputation as a coach and honing my craft.
Initially, it was difficult finding a role with sport that utilised my degree, not making the cut from applications and interviews it was a setback. However, it was important to continue, eventually I took step back in pay but got a role coaching in schools.
Delivering in primary school was a huge bonus for me as it helped me to reflect on a regular basis, try new things and being more confident at being adaptable. Soon after, the opportunity to coach at West Bromwich Academy came through after my commitment to initially observe session and coaches through my contact at UOB. During the season, one of coaches left and my contact asked if I wanted to step in.
One thing that has been a constant in Coaching is the networks and reputation you build is imperative to reach your goals. Birmingham has host of opportunities in terms of sport clubs so make the most of it.
How do you feel the learning experience on your course helped to prepare you for your career?
Both academically and socially, the experiences have supported my career without a doubt. Developing my knowledge and understanding of coaching and learning styles whilst implementing them with theories and models really gives me better way to support the participants and how to get the best out of them. The friendships and networks I built has allowed me to apply my knowledge and understanding building a positive reputation. By coaching the second and third team men’s football team, it developed my critical thinking skills, supporting the needs of the group and played a pivotal part to my next stage in my career. Through the first team coach, this led to a trust partnership where I have gone on to coach at Brimingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa Academy.
What are your top tips for students graduating today?
- Your journey continues after whatever the outcome of your degree – other paths will form.
- Networking plays a huge part – It is not always what you know that gets you the job but who you know to open those doors.
- Push yourself out of your comfort zone.
What were the best things about your course?
The practical coaching element of applying the theories into practice through the modules. I am much more of a kinaesthetic learner so being on the grass delivery really helped me to mould things together.
The friendships you build help you to get through the years at University.
What was your biggest achievement during your course? (personal, professional or academic)
Despite being more academically challenged than others, achieving a 2.1 in my dissertation, nearly a 1st is something that I fondly remember to this day